This past Friday was "Met the Teacher" at school for the kids. I don't know about in your household, but in our household this is like a big deal. The kids are so excited to be moving on up, seeing their friends, and meting their teacher for the year. I also enjoy this time. I use it as a way to see how the classroom is laid out, look through their desks, and check out their books. See, as a former educator I can tell a lot about a teacher just on how she has the desks laid out in her class -- however that is another posts for another day.
I would like to take a moment to get side tracked and tell you that there will be no pictures in this posts -- sorry :-(. However, I do hope that by writing this in purple it has given you the pop of color you need and gotten your attention with the large print :-P
So, where was I? Hmmmm.....I like this blue, so I shall write the rest of the post in it, okay?
Like I stated "Met the Teacher" is a big day in our house, but this year it was huge. Why? As you know (or don't...but that is okay cause I am about to tell you) I home schooled Logan last year for his fourth grade. I did this to catch him up and give him some much needed one on one work. I really loved teaching him, but it was pretty clear that this year, for 5th grade, he needed to go back to school. I am not for or against homeschooling. I think you have to do what is right for the child and family and not get hung up on the politics of it. I don't think public education is bad and I don't think homeschooling is the best. Both have their strengths and weaknesses, but the important thing is doing what is best for the child -- last year my kid needed to be home schooled and this up coming year he does not. End of story. Moving on.
Back to black text. Sorry, but I like black. It is what I am used to. I don't like change. So back to black. Once again I chase rabbits. Where was I?
So, the first teacher we met is Logan's (the kiddo I home schooled last year). I immediately love his teacher. Love the way her room is set up. Love that she has been teaching for over 2 decades. Love that she seems to know my kid even though she has not met him yet -- she did her research and that shows me she cares and is professional. Not loving that she is a huge Steeler's fan and all of that is all over her room, but we all have our faults right?
Then, after I get over the honeymoon of positive emotions and about ready to cry and scream for joy, reality hits me. Worry sets in. I start to think "Oh no! What if I did not do a good enough job teaching him last year? What if I have slowed him down? What if his whole entire educational career is going to fail because I sucked at giving him what he needs?" Panic hit and I asked Logan to hand me his math text book....okay....good.....I taught him everything in the first two chapters. Whew! Oh, wait what is that in chapter 3? Is that adding and subtracting unlike fractions? We didn't get that far! Oh no! He is gonna fail and it is my fault. Wait...this is 5th grade....it is okay that we did not get there because I taught him 4th grade, not 5th. Duh!
Oh, and for all of those homeschooling parents who say "my kid is two grades ahead!" That is such a crock of crap! I mean what the heck are you basing their grade level on? Something that the homeschooling curriculum gave you? News flash! They don't use national or state standards to create their curriculum and a lot of it is OLD. They don't revise like the public school system does. Word of advice print out the state standards for the grade your kid is in and look through them periodically if you are worried and please don't brag to me about how far along your kid is because I will laugh at you in my head. Granted they may be far ahead, but they are human and what they gain in one area they will not be ahead in another. They are just like every other kid so please get over yourself.
Sorry about the rant. I know some will get their panties in a knot over what I just said, but I have met so many homeschooling parents who tell me "My kid is two grades ahead!" Is that really a good thing? Wouldn't it be better if they could just be kids for a little while longer? I just don't understand what the rush is...I mean they are kids for goodness sakes. Oh I am gonna get it for everything I just said!
So, getting back to my story (yet again!) I then went through the reading material in his class and I started to hope that I had actually taught him what he should learn in 5th grade. Why would I even want that? So he can be bored in class and fall behind because he knows it and tunes out and does not tune back in to learn new stuff when it is presented? Ugh! I am such a mess. How badly did I mess my kid up?
We then go to Annie's class. She is going into fourth grade and once again I am totally impressed with the teacher and her room. It then dawns on me that she is going into the grade I just taught Logan so I start to rummage through her textbooks to make sure I covered it. The onlooking parents thought I was nuts....see since I have just offended the homeschooling parents now I should offend the public school parents. right? I mean it is only fair. If I am gonna go down I should just burn all my bridges, so here goes!
Public school parents tend to leave it all up to the teacher. I know this as a teacher and a parent of a children in school. We get laxed and just assume that the school will teach them what they need to know. We help with homework, but we don't have an urgency like we should being that they are our kids. We lazily hand over the responsibility to the teacher and hope for the best.
Have I made you mad yet? I know....I know....you are different. Your child is different and the community is different. I get it. That is what makes us unique or differences, but stereo typing can be so fun and stupid, so I just had to do it.
Getting back to my daughter's class....I looked through her books with urgency and was relieved that I stayed on track with Logan the previous year for the most part. I was really pleased that I met hims social Studies requirements and I was like not even trying. I was more worried about reading, spelling, writing, and math! Score that we got that done too! Woo-hoo!
So, at the end of the day I have to accept that I have done the best that I could do for Logan. I have lead my little horse to water and now it is up to him...sort of....I mean I am sure that I will slip into that laxed public school parent :-P
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You are way to hard on yourself! Logan is going to do great this year!!! Anne will too.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure why you think you will tick off the homeschooling parents....but.....if you did, well shame on them for not listening to what you have to say, because honestly those you have ticked off, they should use your statement as a wake up call!